Massachusetts health officials have detected a strain of gonorrhea that shows a reduced response to several antibiotics, a first in the United States.
Gonorrhea is a bacterial infection caused by the bacteria Neisseria gonorrhoeae. It is primarily spread through sexual contact, including vaginal, anal, and oral sex, and can also be passed from a mother to her baby during birth. It is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and can affect both men and women.
Symptoms of gonorrhea can include: -Painful urination -Discharge from the genitals (may be yellow, green, or white) -Pain or swelling in the genitals or rectum -Bleeding between periods or heavier periods -Painful bowel movements
However, many people who have gonorrhea do not have any symptoms, which makes it important to get tested if you have been sexually active, especially if you have new partner or multiple partners.
Gonorrhea is typically treated with antibiotics, but in recent years, the emergence of antibiotic-resistant strains of the bacteria have made treatment more difficult. It’s important to get tested and treated for gonorrhea as soon as possible to prevent serious health complications, such as pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) in women, and epididymitis in men. And also, to prevent the spread of the infection to others.